Agricultural work requires a large amount of manual labor, but fewer and fewer young people are willing to engage in this activity. On small plots, farmers often have to use various machines to perform different tasks. Since diesel fuel has become expensive, many continue to rely on manual labor and oxen.
Balisto Agritech, a Mumbai-based company founded in 2024, is addressing this issue with the Balisto 130 Pro—an electric multi-functional agricultural machine. This machine is designed to operate throughout the crop cultivation cycle, reducing farmers' dependence on a combination of manual labor, oxen, and multiple diesel-powered machines.
The startup was founded by IIT Bombay graduates Aishwarya Ramakrishnan and Kedar Gokhale, who previously worked together at Boston Consulting Group. Ramakrishnan, who holds an MBA from Harvard Business School, previously worked at the Mahindra Group, first in the Chairman's Office, and later worked on establishing the group's agri-tech venture, Krish-e. Gokhale previously managed his own agri-tech startup, Truce, and later became Vice President of Operations at Swiggy, where he oversaw deliveries across India.
The transition from prototype to commercial launch took Balisto between 18 and 20 months. During development, the company sold an initial batch to paying farmers to gather feedback.
The machine runs on removable batteries and can be controlled via an electric panel or remotely. At its core is an intelligent machine control unit that uses proprietary firmware developed by the company. This unit manages the battery and three motors—one for each wheel and one for the rear steering mechanism. The individual motors allow the unit to correct its movement.
Ramakrishnan explains: 'It tells the machine: 'Hey, you are turning right, go back to a straight line' or 'slow down a bit'.' Each machine is also equipped with an internet-connected module that transmits data to the company's servers in AWS, allowing the team to remotely diagnose malfunctions.
Today, each sold machine can be used for operations such as hilling (adding soil around the base of plants), weeding, inter-row cultivation, loosening, and cart operations.
Last year, Balisto sold 15 machines of an earlier version at introductory prices in four districts for eight crops. The startup claims that the total number of machines sold has exceeded 30, and cumulative sales since June 2025 reached sixty lakh rupees. According to the company, its 30 paying customers used the machines on an area of over 600 acres, saving approximately 3300 liters of diesel fuel. The current version is government certified, eligible for subsidies, and patented.
Balisto sells its machines through dealers across Maharashtra. These multi-brand retailers purchase the machines from the company, sell them to farmers, and provide after-sales service. The dual-battery setup costs 3 lakh rupees, while the single-battery version is 2.5 lakh rupees. The battery comes with a three-year warranty.
Machine production takes place at the company's factory in Pimpri-Chinchwad, Pune, which has the capacity to produce 60 units per month, with potential to increase to 150. Balisto employs a team of over 40 people.
Although the machines can already be controlled remotely, Balisto is in an advanced stage of research and development for an autonomous version. The same equipment is being used, augmented with a magnetometer and GPS to ensure autonomous operation. Ramakrishnan stated that the startup plans to implement autonomy and add more multi-functional capabilities in the current fiscal year. The company's goal is to sell over 200 machines by March 2027 and achieve profitability within three years.
Balisto's last funding round was a pre-seed round raised in April-May 2024 from micro-venture funds, family offices, and business angels, including DeVC, KPB Ventures, iSeed VC, Bharat Founders' Fund, Spectrum Impact, ISV Indian Silicon Valley, Amplify Fund, and several private investors. The company did not disclose the amount. These funds were primarily directed towards research and development, product development, and establishing manufacturing capacity.
Ramakrishnan concludes: 'The farmer's ultimate dream is for agriculture to be something pleasant for them, and for technology and machines to do the hard work.'
Balisto Agritech is part of the Tech30 cohort from YourStory—a showcase of India's most promising startups for 2026, presented at the TechSparks Bengaluru event.